Attack of the Nutcrackers! A 3-in-a-Row Game for 2

War has broken out in the Christmas Kingdom! A dispute about who will guard the Royal Walnut has degenerated into nutty conflict.

Across the Kingdom, swift sabers are sharpened, epaulettes dusted off, and mustachios waxed as the soldiers march off to war.

Two Nutcracker Generals now survey the frozen landscape and prepare for battle on a field of hastily-dug snow forts….

Attack of the Nutcrackers! is a strategy game for 2 players based on the African game Dara. It is printable on the A1 Mini. The easy-to-assemble game board includes drawers with latches for storing the Nutcracker game pieces. It has been designed to be sturdy so it can bring many years of holiday enjoyment.

👀Look at the bottom of this page for a printable assembly guide and rulebook. The game rules are available in several languages.

🛠️ Assembly:

1. Print all parts.
2. Assemble the storage box. Place a small amount of CA glue on the tabs on the Game Box. Place the Game Board on top. Allow to dry.
3. Put the Drawer Latch through the hole in the Drawer from the inside. Place a small amount of CA glue in the slot on the Knob. Place the Knob slot over the tab on the Latch. Important - place the knob so that the Nutcracker face is turned the right way up in the locked (upright) position! Repeat with the second drawer. Allow glue to dry.
4. Insert the drawers into the game. The drawers are removable for storing captured pieces during play, but will remain securely in the box when closed and locked.
5. Play and Have Fun!

🎯 Game Rules + Expansion Rules

Objective:
Capture 10 of the other player’s Nutcrackers or trap them so they cannot make a legal move.

Setup:
Each player takes turns placing their Nutcrackers onto the board one at a time. No line of 4 or more of the same player’s pieces is allowed at any time during the game.

Note that lines of three Nutcrackers formed during Setup cannot be used to capture.

How to Play:
Moving: Once all Nutcrackers have been placed on the board, players take turns moving one of their Nutcrackers one space horizontally or vertically, but NOT diagonally.

Capturing: When you form a “battle line” of three Nutcrackers, remove any one of the other player’s Nutcrackers from the board. 

Only one of the opponent’s pieces may be removed from the board per turn, even if multiple connections were created with one move.

Reforming Connections: Each “battle line” of three Nutcrackers can be reformed only once by moving one Nutcracker out and back in to capture one of the opponent's Nutcrackers.

You win by:

• Capturing ten (10) of the opponent’s Nutcrackers. 
• Putting the opponent in a position where they cannot make any further legal moves.

🧩 The Nutcracker Generals Expansion has entered the battle!

The Nutcracker Generals are used in an expansion of the game rules:

• Replace one regular Nutcracker with a Nutcracker General.
  Each player starts with 11 Nutcracker Soldiers and 1 General.
• General Movement (one move per turn):
  On its turn, the General makes one move only—either a standard move or a jump.
  • Standard Move:
    Move the General one space horizontally or vertically, like a Soldier.
  • Jump Move:
    Instead of a standard move, the General may jump over one adjacent piece (friendly or enemy) to an empty space beyond.
    Jumping does not capture the jumped piece.
• Capturing a General:
  A General may be captured only if there are no other capturable opponent pieces in the same row or column.

🧩🧩 The Ice Fortress Expansion has joined the fray!

The Ice Fortresses are used in an expansion of the game rules:

• Losing your third Nutcracker.
  When a player loses their third piece, they may place their Ice Fortress on any empty space on the board on any future turn. Placing a hut onto the board in this way counts as your entire turn. The Ice Fortress cannot be used to create a row of 4 or more pieces of the same color.
• Ice Fortress Rules:
  • The Ice Fortress cannot be captured, nor can it be moved once placed.
  • The Ice Fortress acts like one of your pieces and can be used to for a three-in-a-row “battle line” to capture enemy pieces.
  • Placing your Ice Fortress to instantly create a three-in-a-row entitles you to capture an enemy piece.
  • When playing with the Nutcracker Generals, the Generals cannot jump over the Ice Fortress.

🐣😊 More Toys and Games from Cheep & Cheerful! 🐣😊

SuperSpinner! III